SA vs IND 2018: Sunil Gavaskar Feels Selectors Must Clear Rahane and Rahul's Role in ODI Format

After winning the third Test on a testing pitch at the Wanderers in Johannesburg, the onus is now on the Indian team to carry the fighting spirit forward to the limited-overs format and challenge the number one spot in ODI cricket.

Indian batsmen showed great skills and temperament on an unpredictable pitch which supported pace and bounce on all the five days of the Test match.

This performance earned the Indian batsmen praises from former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar who thinks the old myth of Indian batsmen surrendering on such conditions should be put to rest now.

However, Gavaskar’s only concern now is Ajinkya Rahane and KL Rahul’s role in the shorter format. Gavaskar was mightily impressed by Rahane’s gutsy knock in the third Test after being overlooked in the first two tests. Gavaskar feels both Rahane and Rahul have different roles in Tests and ODI’s.

Talking about Indian batting Gavaskar wrote in a column for Times of India,

“The batting on a most difficult and unpredictable pitch was tremendous to watch and should dispel once and forever the myth that Indians can’t play pace. The fact of the matter is nobody can play good sustained fast bowling. Even the don had his problems in the body line series, and no batsman in the world can put his hand on his heart and say he enjoys playing good fast bowling.”

“At best one can cope with it to the best of one’s ability and that’s what the Indians showed at the Bullring Wanderers. They showed the gumption, the guts and the determination to take the blows and hang in there. South African batsmen succumbed so can we jump to the conclusion and say they can’t play pace?” 

Gavaskar feels the Indian selectors must solve this confusion about Rahane and Rahul’s role in the Indian batting line-up, especially in the ODI format.

Kohli in a press conference also admitted barring the number four position the team combination is sorted. Gavaskar said,

“This is what the Indian team selection has to guard against, jumping to conclusions and selecting or leaving out players based on one performance. Theories about pitches and who can bat or bowl on particular surfaces also should be thrown out of the window and the best team selected. The old saying, ‘form is temporary, but class is permanent’ holds good as was seen by Ajinkya Rahane’s batting in the second innings of the third Test.” 

“That may still not get him a place in the One-day series since he has been slotted as an opening batsman. This is where there’s confusion. Rahul opens in Tests, but bats in the middle-order in T20s and Rahane bats middle order in Tests but can find a place in ODIs only as an opener. Both may eventually not play, but in their interest, it’s important to tell them that they are flexible players who should be ready to bat anywhere in the order.”